Welcome back.

It’s time to kick off Daily Faceoff’s second annual NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown, looking at the best all 32 teams have to offer. We’re highlighting the top 10 prospects for every franchise, their biggest strengths and weaknesses and so much more.

The criteria for being labeled a “prospect” are simple: players generally have to have played in 50 or fewer NHL games or spent more time outside of the NHL than in it last year. Skaters over 23 years old are not included, with goaltenders needing to be 25 or under.

Today, we’re looking at Utah HC.

Welcome to the NHL, Utah.

The league’s newest outfit – replacing the Arizona Coyotes after a wild history of relocation rumors – inherited a solid pipeline and a couple of early draft picks in 2024. The club made Tij Iginla – the son of Hockey Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla – its first pick at No. 6 in Vegas before selecting the energetic Cole Beaudoin later on Day 1.

Add in some high picks over the past few years and the promotion of youngsters Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther to full-time duty and you’ve got a group with some potential to get excited about. With all the off-season moves, there’s absolutely no reason why Utah couldn’t contend for a playoff spot in 2024-25, even if they’re not a favorite to actually earn one of the eight spots in the Western Conference.

Still, you have to hope that, with a new market and new ownership, this group can finally take the right steps to become a competitive hockey team. It would be huge for the sport if they did.

Biggest Strengths

This group has muscle. Lots of it. Between the pure size of Dmitri Simashev, Daniil But and Maveric Lamoureux, the toughness of Iginla and Beaudoin or the tenacity of Maksymilian Szuber, GM Bill Armstrong has put a big focus on building a team that’ll be difficult to play against. They already have six skaters standing 6-foot-3 or taller on the main squad, and almost all of them are big pieces of the core, too.

Biggest Weakness

Utah could use some extra help on the wing, especially if Iginla gets his wish and moves back to center. Daniil But is good, but they’re missing someone who brings speed and skill. Even on the main roster right now, they need more game-breaking skill on the wing, including a long-term option on Cooley’s wing. The team still has quite a few picks over the next two years to help address that, at least.

Fast Facts:
NHL GM: Bill Armstrong
Dir. of Player Development: Lee Stempniak
AHL Affiliate: Tuscon Roadrunners
ECHL Affiliate: Allen Americans

*Dmitriy Simashev (Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports)*

TOP 10 PROSPECTS

1. Tij Iginla, LW, 18 (Kelowna, WHL)

Acquired: Drafted sixth overall, first round in 2024

Score, score and score some more. That’s what he does best. Iginla is a solid distributor, don’t get me wrong. But with the puck on his stick, he’s a dangerous generator. He plays with good pace, and while he isn’t big, he’s physically strong. There’s top-six potential here for a guy who loves controlling the pace of play. It doesn’t hurt having his family’s pedigree, either. His work ethic is among the best I saw from anyone in the 2024 NHL Draft and he was easily one of Canada’s most impressive players at the World Junior Summer Showcase. Look for Iginla to become a star in the new market of Utah.

2. Dmitri Simashev, LHD, 19 (Lokomotiv, Yaroslaval, KHL)

Acquired: Drafted sixth overall, first round in 2023

The 6-foot-5 defender played his first full year in the KHL last year, registering 10 points in 63 games. While that’s not a lot, the fact he played heavy minutes against quality, top-level competition at just 19 years old is huge, with his large frame allowing him to bully opponents at will. He’s never overly aggressive, so he doesn’t get himself into trouble often, and he’s the type of player you want going up against top lines because he makes it difficult to beat him. Simashev will return to Yaroslavl for at least one more year before liking making the trek over to North America for 2025-26. For what it’s worth, I think he’ll be NHL-ready once he comes over.

3. Maveric Lamoureux, RHD, 20 (Tuscon, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 29th overall, first round in 2022

*Maveric Lamoureux (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)*

An injury limited what was supposed to be a huge year for Lamorueux, whose QMJHL squad, Drummondville, won the title. But Lamoureux wasn’t a part of the run due to a second shoulder surgery in his short career – not to mention a bout with mono. But when healthy, he’s so much fun to watch. The 6-foot-7 mammoth can flatten you with ease – and he’s also a damn good skater. That’s not a good combination if you’re a forward trying to go 1-on-1 with him. Lamoureux added about 15 pounds last summer, bulking up from 199 to 214. He said it helped make him feel more stable and stronger, allowing him to win more puck battles. Now, he just needs a healthy season to prove the work was worth it.

4. Daniil But, RW, 19 (Yaroslavl Yokomotiv, KHL)

Acquired: Drafted 12th overall, first round in 2023

At 6-foot-6, it’s hard to miss But out there. He had 10 goals and 21 points in 55 games in his first full year of KHL action, which was good for fourth among U-20 players in the KHL. If you’re going to be effective at this size, you need to be able to skate and play with pace; But he does just that. The power forward has some tremendous skill, too, allowing him to pull off some creative moves on a whim. Like Simashev, his KHL deal ends this coming spring, so we could see him challenging for an NHL spot next year.

5. Josh Doan, RW, 22 (Utah, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 37th overall, second round in 2021

Doan made a fantastic impression in his first NHL action, scoring five goals and nine points in 11 games to close out the season. It came after an excellent rookie season with Tuscon, scoring 26 goals and 46 points. The son of former Coyotes star Shane Doan, Josh should push to make the team’s top nine this year, combining his speed and skill to give the team some extra scoring punch. I think he’s a middle-six player at best, and I think his late-season was more of a mirage compared to what he’s actually going to produce in the NHL, but it’s good to see he’s more than just a nepotism pick based on his solid development path.

6. Michael Hrabal, G, 19 (UMass, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 38th overall, second round in 2023

*Michael Hrabal (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)*

I’m not sure what to make of Hrabal yet, to be honest. I see the obvious potential – he’s got the size and athleticism you love to see at 6-foot-6 and he’s proven many times he can be the primary reason his team wins. But then you see performances like the World Juniors or the U-18 World Championship a year ago and you see someone who’s prone to massive brainfarts and poor positioning, especially with his glove hand. He was solid at UMass as a freshman and I expect an even better performance from him as a sophomore, but I do want to see him stay more square to the shooter and avoid those long-range goals.

7. Cole Beaudoin, C, 18 (Barrie, OHL)

Acquired: Drafted 24th overall, first round in 2024

Beaudoin was excellent at the U-18 World Championship, looking great as a bottom-six threat who did just about everything. Beaudoin projects to be more of a third-line center in the NHL, but someone who’ll bring results. He scores, hits, blocks shots, and defends – everything you’re hoping for out of a reliable two-way center. Beaudoin lacks the upside of many others in this draft class, but he does enough things well to earn a long NHL career. Part of that is thanks to his great work ethic, but he’s built like a human tank. Beaudoin’s pure strength and athleticism will keep him in the NHL for a long time.

8. Artem Duda, LHD, 20 (Tuscon, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 36th overall, second round in 2022

Duda had an interesting season, to say the least. He had committed to the University of Maine for 2023-24 before the NCAA deemed him ineligible due to his time in the KHL. He ultimately joined the TMU Bold in January 2024 and spent the remaining balance of the season playing U SPORTS hockey, an unconventional route for an NHL prospect. So, when he joins Tuscon this year, there will be a bit of a push to make sure he gets up to speed, and I don’t doubt he will. He’s a mobile defender who’s good with the puck and more than competent in physical situations.

9. Jonathan Castagna, C, 19 (Cornell, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 70th overall, third round in 2023

Castagna made the jump from prep hockey to college and made an immediate impact – probably more than anyone expected. Castagna had 11 goals and 25 points with Cornell en route to both an ECAC championship and tournament MVP honors. Castagna is a great setup guy, but his confidence with shooting the puck continues to grow with every viewing I’ve had with him. I can see him being an excellent value pickup.

10. Maksymilian Szuber, LHD, 21 (Tuscon, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 163rd overall, sixth round in 2022

*Maksymilian Szuber (Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports)*

Yet another defenseman that could turn into something out of the 2022 draft, Szuber is a big 6-foot-3 defender with good mobility and puck skills. He had a solid first year with Tuscon, showing a more violent side that seemed to have been less prevalent at other levels. I also liked him at the World Championship, with him becoming more important with every passing game for a German team that struggled defensively. Szuber has potential to be a bottom-pairing defenseman who can play a shutdown role while being difficult to get past because he makes it his mission to prevent you from getting around him.

Other prospects: Miko Matikka, RW (20), Julian Lutz, LW (20), Aku Raty, C (23), Noel Nordh, RW (19), Sam Lipkin, LW (21), Ben McCartney, LW (23), Owen Allard, C (20), Vojtech Hradec, C (18), Gabe Smith, C (18), Samu Bau, C (20), Tanner Ludtke, C (19), Vadim Moroz, RW (20), Ilya Fedotov, LW (21), Carson Bantle, LW (22), Cal Thomas, LHD (21), Matthew Morden, LHD (20), Justin Kipkie, LHD (19), Terrell Goldsmith, LHD (19), Veeti Vaisanen, LHD (18), Will Skahan, LHD (18), Tomas Lavoie, RHD (18), Ludvig Lafton, LHD (18), Ales Cech, LHD (20), Gregor Biber, LHD (18), Anson Thornton, G (21), Carsen Musser, G (19), Melker Thelin, G (19), Rasmus Korhonen, G (21)